Charlotte 49ers head men’s basketball coach Alan Major announced the promotion of Ryan Odom to associate head coach, May 6, 2014. Odom is in his fifth year on the 49ers coaching staff and his first as associate head coach. Prior to joining the 49ers coaching staff, Odom spent seven years as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech.

During Odom’s time at Charlotte, the 49ers have captured the 2013 Great Alaska Shootout and 2014 Puerto Rico Tip-Off titles and earned a bid to the 2013 NIT. Last season, the 49ers received votes in the AP and the Coaches Polls for the first time since December, 2009. In 2013, the 49ers won 21 games which marked the program’s first 20-win season since 2007-08, and with another winning season in 2014, the 49ers posted back-to-back winning campaigns for the first time since 2007. Charlotte has posted a victory over a top 15 team in three of the last four years.

A 1996 graduate of Hampden-Sydney College, Odom was a member of two-time ACC Coach of the Year Seth Greenberg’s first staff at Virginia Tech. In his seven years, the Hokies went to the 2007 NCAA Tournament and four National Invitation Tournaments. He joined the Hokies after a three-year stint as an assistant to Jeff Jones at American University. Odom was responsible for the coordination of recruiting efforts and assisted with the on-court development. Before American, Odom spent one season as an assistant coach at UNC Asheville for head coach Eddie Biedenbach. Prior to that, he served two seasons as an assistant coach at Furman under Larry Davis and one season under Greenberg at South Florida as an administrative assistant.

“Ryan is one of the outstanding assistant coaches in the country,” Major said. “He has a great feel for the state of North Carolina and the southeast region with strong ties in Virginia and North Carolina.”

Odom was a four-year starting point guard at Hampden-Sydney and served as team captain as a senior. He helped the Tigers to an 80-30 overall record during his playing career and twice led teams to the NCAA Division III tournament. He finished his career as Hampden-Sydney’s leading three-point shooter and was fourth all-time in assists.

“I am fortunate to work at Charlotte for Alan Major,” Odom said, whose brother Lane coached for the 49ers for two years (1998-00). “I appreciate his confidence in me and I look forward to helping him, the staff, and players pursue excellence in all areas of our program”

He and his wife, Lucia, have two sons, Connor and Owen. Odom is the son of Dave Odom, who retired in 2008 as the head coach at South Carolina.